This week I had coffee with the incredibly lovely and infectious Arpen Thandi, and in the middle of a particularly awesome, riled-up conversation she casually mentioned something about her “personal board of advisers“.
I then followed it up with a “wait whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!? Do you have a board of advisers for your LIFE?”. Which she then coolly answered “yes, but we don’t have official meetings or anything, they are just the people I call when I need wise words or a sounding board.”
BRILLIANT. I mean this seems like a very reasonable and logical thing to have and I’m sure we all have a loose board without ever realizing it, but I think it might be time to verbalize and put some intent behind our own PERSONAL BOARD OF ADVISERS. If you feel like you have an official (and smart) board on your side, stepping out on your own or taking a risk with your career (here’s looking at all the hustlas) may not feel as devastatingly scary – and even empowering.
So here is the board I am building based off of old and current bosses, co-workers, loved-ones, and friends:
The Crazy One: Kalle Lasn (my old boss at Adbusters who reminds me that sometimes you really have to jump off the deep end for something magical to happen)
The Women of Power: Anna Wallner and Kristina Matisic (my current bosses who remind me that women can make it to the very top in media and tell their own stories)
The Salesman: Lewis Bercovitch (my dad who is the best salesman and entrepreneur in the universe, and taught me the lesson that people have to want to do business with YOU)
The Developer: Phil Rabin (my web developer superstar bff who constantly reminds me to to fight for what I am worth)
The Ultimate: Lena Dunham (well we aren’t friends…yet…but she is fucking killing it and I admire everything she has accomplished. Don’t believe me? Let Alec Baldwin convince you)
The Champion: Chris Kelly (my husband who is my greatest support and motivator and who I trust more than anyone in the world)
Who would be (or is!) on your Personal Board of Advisers?
